Andreas S. a veteran at K‑fee in Bergisch Gladbach as well as being one of five product developers. Even before the subsidiary was launched in 2008, he and his colleagues – at that time still at Krüger – laid the foundation stone for the successful coffee specialties in a capsule.
I was a trained baker, but that was relatively monotonous, and I was looking for a job with perspective and variety. That’s why I went to Krüger, trained as a food technology specialist, and then quickly found my way into product development. Cappuccino, cocoa, and instant products were my specialty, so I was involved in the launch of K‑fee right from the start.
“Bringing the best taste into a small capsule format is always an exciting challenge for me.”
If typical means doing the same daily, there is only one thing: starting with a cup of latte to get the day rolling. Apart from that, no day is like any other. We mix new products and taste them, test mixtures on behalf of customers, clarify the feasibility of new recipes with process engineering, coordinate the packaging materials, produce prototype capsules which we check, test, and taste for flavor and functionality … there are many different things to consider before a product is finally launched on the market.
I simply enjoy the variety and working in cooperation with so many other departments. Sometimes it can be a bit hectic, but we always come up with a good result. And when I’m on holiday somewhere abroad, I like to see if I can find our products in the supermarket there. I’m a bit proud of that.
The high precision with which we work. When consumers make themselves instant coffee, they can easily add another spoonful if they find it too weak. The same applies to cappuccino or canned cocoa. But capsule products must always be perfect in themselves. The customer does not have the option to add a little more. Accordingly, we have to work with precision and examine very carefully how we bring the best taste into this small format. This is an exciting challenge – the core of our job, so to speak. And I can certainly lose myself in that.
“I am proud to always have my finger on the pulse of the market – having the right instinct for product innovations is part of it.”
“Making my own decisions and being able to communicate directly with our customers are the icing on the cake in my work.”
“In my line of work, you must have a head for heights, but the work is very varied, and the colleagues are great.”
“I was able to assume responsibility early on, and I really like the mix of theory at university and practical application at the company.”
“From forklift operator to administrator? This is possible at Krüger, where you can still work your way up.”
“My own expertise and a lot of creative freedom – at Krüger I have the chance to make a real difference every day.”